US Patent 7212490 Dynamic load balancing for dual ring topology networks

A method and apparatus for servicing transmit traffic in a node of a network where the network includes a plurality of nodes connected by first and second rings formed by two or more transmission media. The method includes receiving transit delay data associated with a plurality of downstream nodes, receiving a packet for routing to a destination node in the network and routing the packet to one of the first and second rings not only based on a shortest path to the destination node but also on a transmit latency for both the first and second rings in view of the received transit delay data.